The Protagonist of the Story

"Master, everyone has their own aspirations. I do not regret the decision I made ten years ago."

Ma Xiunuo shook his head, saying nothing more. He was merely lamenting that Su Yun Tao could have steadily joined the Martial Soul Hall, lived a life free from worry, and enjoyed a peaceful, affluent existence; yet, he had chosen a different path.

Although Ma Xiunuo did not understand why Su Yun Tao had made such a choice, he would still respect it.

Su Yun Tao was filled with deep emotion at this moment, reflecting on everything he had experienced on the Douluo Continent.

Ten years ago, the Su Yun Tao from another dimension had awakened from a fire. However, when he opened his eyes, he did not see the family members who should have been by his side, but rather this world—both familiar and strange!

Su Yun Tao had simply replaced a person of the same name in this other world. His body was intact, his mind was sound, and he had not gained a shred of extra memory. Perhaps because the two looked exactly alike, those who knew the original Su Yun Tao in this world treated him as the one who had always been there.

His Martial Soul was still the Lone Wolf—a "single dog"—his talent was just as mediocre, and their ages were shockingly similar: both were twelve! Aside from his memories, he seemed to have inherited everything else from the other Su Yun Tao.

Facing this strange yet familiar world, what Su Yun Tao felt was not passion or excitement, but confusion and fear! When a person faces the prospect of being permanently separated from their parents and loved ones, it is difficult for anyone to accept. He did not want to face this world, and he certainly did not want to lose his family forever.

After a long period of avoidance and confusion, Su Yun Tao summoned his courage to face the world again and embarked on the path of cultivation. The reason was simple: he wanted to grow, he wanted to become strong, and he wanted to go home!

Su Yun Tao's goal for cultivation was both overly ambitious and perfectly logical. It was ambitious because a young Soul Master with an Innate Soul Power of level two, who was only level eleven at twelve years old, was aiming to become a god! It was logical because he simply wanted to go home! Only by becoming a god could he escape this world and have a glimmer of hope of returning.

Ten years ago, Su Yun Tao had just graduated from the Martial Soul Hall Junior Soul Master Academy at twelve years old and level eleven, having just obtained his first soul ring. Due to his low talent, he could not advance to a higher-level Martial Soul Hall academy for further study.

Influenced by the original story, he set out from the Martial Soul Hall Academy in Nuoding City with a sense of reverence, embarking on a pilgrimage to Shrek Academy.

Along the way, relying on a crude map of the continent and his meager Soul Master subsidy, Su Yun Tao traveled through dust and wind, rushing day and night until he finally arrived at Shrek Academy.

But what awaited him was not the path to godhood he had imagined, but mockery and contempt. Su Yun Tao tried to prove himself through hard work, but how could a twelve-year-old level eleven youth with a white first soul ring ever gain the favor of a "Monster Academy"? The Monster Academy wasn't monstrous because of the academy itself, but because of its students!

Being unable to enter Shrek was one thing; whether or not to accept students was the academy's prerogative. However, the twenty Gold Soul Coins Su Yun Tao had painstakingly saved were swallowed by Shrek Academy. Su Yun Tao tried to argue his case, but Zhao Wuji used his power to suppress him directly. With the release of seven soul rings, he instantly pinned Su Yun Tao to the ground, causing him to cough up blood.

"Get lost!" From Zhao Wuji's sneering face, Su Yun Tao heard the words that drove him to the brink of madness.

With his dignity trampled and his character insulted, Su Yun Tao once considered risking his life, but at the very moment he was about to decide, a strange feeling welled up from the bottom of his heart. He said nothing more and silently left Shrek Academy.

He still had things to do; he could not die yet.

Compared to the physical pain, the most terrifying part of this experience was the mental devastation. His former worship of Shrek and his previous perception of this world vanished from that moment on.

This was a world of the strong; there was no law, no dignity, only power! When he read the novel Douluo Continent in his youth, he saw passion and excitement, but now, what he experienced was cruelty and insignificance!

Beneath the cheers of the gods in the original story lay the wails of millions of ants; behind the brilliance of the upper echelons were the blood and tears of billions of living beings! This was the truest portrayal of the Douluo Continent!

The Sea God Tang San of the original story had ascended to godhood, but the thousands of tragedies on the Douluo Continent continued, or were only just beginning!

Although Su Yun Tao had suffered an unprecedented blow, he did not give up, because as long as one persists, there is always hope; once one gives up, there is no hope at all. Persistence does not guarantee success—especially with his talent, where hope was almost non-existent—but without persistence, success was impossible!

After returning to Nuoding City, Su Yun Tao immediately used the last of his money to buy a gift and visited the Nuoding Academy to see the Master, Yu Xiaogang.

The Master was very surprised, but he still stood with his hands behind his back, facing the world with the demeanor of an expert. He spoke at length with Su Yun Tao, his words flowing like a river. When Su Yun Tao showed an expression of extreme admiration, the Master was very satisfied.

Su Yun Tao was thrilled and voiced what was in his heart: he wanted to take the Master as his teacher!

Upon hearing that this twelve-year-old level eleven soul master wanted to become his disciple, the Master's face instantly darkened, and he merely stated that he would never take on disciples in his life.

Looking at the Master, whose mouth was slightly curled, his expression strange, and his face practically screaming the words, "You are not worthy," Su Yun Tao said nothing and silently left Nuoding Academy.

Everyone thinks they are the protagonist of the story, but Su Yun Tao felt he was merely a background character, or even cannon fodder, in the story of the Douluo Continent. The story of the Douluo Continent belonged to others; he was just an ant within it.

After leaving Nuoding City, Ma Xiunuo, an old man of low power but a kind heart, extended a helping hand to Su Yun Tao. Although Su Yun Tao had left without saying goodbye, breaking the rules of the Martial Soul Hall, Ma Xiunuo did not hold it against him. Instead, he used his own meager influence to resolve Su Yun Tao's trouble and tried to find him a good place to go.

The Martial Soul Hall was different from other forces on the Douluo Continent; it was very friendly to low-level civilian Soul Masters. Su Yun Tao's act of leaving without notice would have resulted in execution by other factions, but after Ma Xiunuo paid the six years of tuition fees for him, the Martial Soul Hall did not pursue the matter further.

This was also thanks to Su Yun Tao being only twelve years old; he was too young and had not yet officially started working for the Martial Soul Hall to enjoy its formal benefits.

Although Su Yun Tao was grateful, he still refused further help from Ma Xiunuo. This kind old man was, in terms of origin, a fellow villager of the original Su Yun Tao; they came from the same village.

Seventy-five years ago, Ma Xiunuo became the first Soul Master in the village in a century, becoming the pride of the entire village.

Sixteen years ago, Ma Xiunuo had personally awakened the Martial Soul for the original Su Yun Tao and brought him to the Martial Soul Hall Academy to study.

After refusing Ma Xiunuo, Su Yun Tao embarked on a ten-year journey.

Ten years of tempering revealed the ways of the world; a hundred times trampled, he understood the coldness of human nature.

During these ten years, Su Yun Tao grew very quickly. He witnessed the darkness of this world with his own eyes.

He had once complained about why the heavens were so unfair to him, but at least he was still a Soul Master. There were billions of people on the Douluo Continent, yet fewer than one hundred thousand Soul Masters; becoming a Soul Master was already one in a thousand!

Although he had nothing, he could at least receive a monthly cultivation subsidy, live without worry, and be the envy of billions of commoners.

These ten years of tempering not only raised his soul power to level twenty-nine, but more importantly, he was able to clearly understand this world!

Compared to those truly tortured by life, Su Yun Tao's situation was already heaven. He had no more reason to complain, because in this world, there were people who had to give their all just to survive.